Folding camp cot



March 28, 1961 R, D. VANDERMINDEN FOLDING CAMP COT 2 Sheets-Shea?I 1Filed Aug. '7, 1959 ndllllfl lus INVENTOR ROBERT DNANDERMW DEN BY Mgaat] March 28, 1961 R. D. VANDRMINDEN 2,976,545

FOLDING CAMP COT 2 Shee'cs-Sheei*I 2 Filed Aug. 7, 1959 lNvl-:NToRROBERT D. VANDERWNDEN ATTORNE 5 "ucr- W FoLDrNG CAMP cor Robert D.Vanderminden, Granville, N.Y., assignor to The Telescope FoldingFurniture Co., Inc., Granville, N.Y., a corporation of New York FiledAug. 7, 1959, Ser. No. 832,281

3 Claims. (Cl. 5111) This invention relates to folding camp cots andmore particularly to improvements in the support and operation of theirend legs.

It is a common objective of nearly all folding cots to provide rm anddependable leg support for the cot while it is being used, and at thesame time easily operable means for collapsing the legs so that the cotmay be compactly folded for transport or storage.

It is a principal object and feature of this invention to improve uponthe present art by more completely achieving these goals to make a safeand convenient cot.

It is a further object and feature of this invention to provide forsturdy end rails and legs.

It is a further object and feature of this invention to provide forsimple, inexpensive and commercially practicable means to accomplishthese objectives.

Additional objects, features and advantages of this invention willbecome apparent from the following specitication and accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a cot embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig.l;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a partially folded cotembodying thisinvention;

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view of the structure joining an end pieceto the side rails, taken substantially on line 4 4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a similar partial sectional view of the structure of Fig. 4 inthe partly folded position of the cot of Fig. 3; and j Fig. 6 is a sideview of a fully folded cot embodying this invention.

The cot C to be described as one example of a cot embodying thisinvention comprises two parallel side rails 7 and 8, each divided intotwo half sections 7a, '7b and 8a, 8b. The two sections of each rail arejoined by two pairs of T-shaped brackets 9a, 9b and 10a, 10b, a bracketof each pair on each side of the side rails proximate to their ends.Each wing of the top portion of the pair of T-shaped brackets contains apivot rivet or pin, 11a, 11b (Fig. 6) and 12a and 12b (Fig. l),extending between them, and through an abutting end of one of thesections of each side rail so that each section can pivot around an axistransverse to and in the plane of Ithe cots bed or body rest.

The stem of each pair of T-shaped brackets is firmly fastened to centerlegs 13 and 14 (Fig. 2) and to a center U-shaped brace 15 (Fig. 2),which spaces the two side rails 7a, 7b and 8a, 8b.

The side rails are fastened at each end to the leg 2,976,545 PatentedMar. 28,1961

end piece which is proximate to the rail portion (e.g. 17b) of the sameend piece. The two side plates extend upwardly and inwardly oneon eachside of a side rail. A pivot pin or rivet e.g. 2lb (like 20a, Ztib and21a) extends between the side plates and through the end of the siderail with an axis perpendicular to the plane of the side of the cot. Theside plates of the end bracket continue upwardly and inwardly to bendtoward each other and meetin an arch 26 (Figs. 4 and 5) over the top ofthe end of the side rails (when the legs are iu an extended position, asin Fig. 4), to limit the swing of the legs in their extended position bybearing against the tops of the side rail ends. y

A material 23 to form the bed or body rest of-the cot C is fastened toboth side rails and the rail portion of the end pieces substantially asshown in Fig. l. The material may be fastened by rivets, screws or anextension of the bed material or a separate apy may be looped over therails and sewed to the cot bed inside the rails. Suitable cutouts areprovided at the joints for clearance purposes.

The side rails, end pieces, and center brace may be formed from anyrigid material, for example, wood, plastic or metal; aluminum tubing isused in' one preferred form. The brackets may also be formed from anyrigid material, for example, aluminum plate, galvanized steel orplastic. The pins and rivets may be formed conventionally, for example,from aluminum, steel or other suitable material. Any flexible andrelatively inextensible material may be used to form the bed of the cot,for example, any canvas, cotton or plastic fabric.

The end legs of the cot gain their exceptional stability by thecooperating combination of several design features.

Referring to Fig. 4, the pivot pins or rivets e.g. 2lb around which thelegs swing, must be located below the line of fabric tension representedby arrows 24.

By this structure, the legs, e.g. 17C can only be folded under the cotand against the side rails, eg. Sb, if the end rail, eg. 1712, to whichthe legs are integrally joined, is free to move out and away from thecenter of the cot.

By this invention, two forces act to prevent this movement and securethe cot legs against the possibility of collapse while the cot is inuse. Yet, neitherinterferes with the easy and simple folding of the cotwhen that -is desired.

First, the weight of the user reclining in the cot, represented by arrow25 in Fig. l, causes considerable tension, represented by arrows 24, inthe bed material of the cot. This tension acts directly to resist theoutward movement of the end rails and, therefore, to stabilize theextended legs. But when the user gets up, this first force isimmediately released.

Second, the use of a bed material which is inextensible, relative to theoutward movement that the end rail experiences when the legs of the cotare folded, also secures the end rails when the cot is erected, if, atthe same time, the pivots around which the end pieces swing at each endof the cot, e.g. 2lb, are lzept at maximum separation from those at theother end of the cot, e.g. 20a, that is, if the side rails 7a, 7b and8a, 8b are kept straight. This is accomplished in this invention byfastening the fabric 23 to the side rails substantially as shown in Fig.l, so that the weight of the user 2S will firmly press the side railsdown upon their supports. Thus, when the cot is being used, the legscannot be folded or collapsed, the bed material will hold them securelyextended. Yet, when the user gets up from the cot, the side rails can beeasily pivoted into a folded 3 position, and the legs can then be folded(since the pivot points, c g. Ztlb and 2lb and end rails 16h and 17bhave been moved closer together and the bed material loosened by thefolding of the side rails and the end rails have, therefore, beenallowed to move outwardly around the -pivot points).

The combination of these two features gives the cot legs a stability anddependability coupled with complete ease of folding and simplicity ofmanufacture. The stability of the legs and the dependability of theirbeing retained in an extended position is increased by the new one-piececonstruction of their end pieces which integrally joins the legs andrail at each end of the cot,

The cot legs cannot collapse while in use. But at the same time, the cotmay be conveniently folded by the following steps.

The user must first yget oi the cot.

The side rails are then partially folded at the center, as shown in Fig.3.

The tension on the end rails thus released, the legs are folded upwardand inward to lie adjacent to the side rails.

The folding of the side rails is then continued, until the cot issubstantially completely folded as shown in Fig. 6.

The invention is not limited or intended to be limited to the specificcot that has b-een described as an example of one embodiment of theinvention. Many variations are possible and within the scope of theclaims, as will -be obvious to men skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

l. In a folding cot, substantially parallel side rails of approximatelyequal length pivoted substantially half way along their lengths andterminating at each extremity in a pair of spaced apart outer ends, onepiece substantially U-shaped end pieces each having a rail portion andleg portions, one of said end pieces being positioned proximate to onepair of said outer ends, the other of said end pieces being positionedproximate to the other pair of said outer ends, brackets comprising sideplates joined across the top by an arched portion, a bracket having itssaid side plates rigidly secured to a leg portion proximate to said railportion for each of saidend pieces with its arched portion extendinginwardly and over-lying an outer end of a side rail and with said sideplates pivotally secured to the side rail proximate to the end thearched portion overlies, one of said side plates being on each side ofsaid side rail, the top of said rail portions of each end piece lyingabove the pivot axes of said side plates when the said leg portions arein a normally extended position for use, and a bed material, said bedmaterial fastened to and between the rail portions of said end piecesand to said side rails.

2. In a folding cot, substantially parallel side rails of approximatelyequal length pivoted substantially half way along their lengths andterminating at least at one extremity, in a pair of spaced apart outerends, a one piece substantially U-shaped end piece having a rail portionand leg portions positioned proximate to said pair of said outer ends,brackets comprising side plates joined across the top by an archedportion, each said bracket having its said side plates secured to a legportion proximate to said rail portion of said end piece with its archedportion extending inwardly and overlying an outer end of a side rail andwith said side plates pivotally secured to the side rail proximate tothe end the arched portion overlies, one of said side plates being oneach side of said last-named side rail, the top of the rail portion ofsaid end piece lying above the pivot axes of said side plates when thesaid leg portions are in a normally extended position for use, asupporting end piece having a rail portion and leg portions secured tosupport the side rails adjacent the other end of said cot, and a bedmaterial, said bed material being fastened to and between the railportions of said end pieces and also to said side rails.

3. In a folding cot as per 2, legs supporting said pair of side railssubstantially halfway along their lengths and a generally transversebracing member spacing said last-named legs and side rails apart.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,566,574 Berg Dec. 22, 1925 2,809,383 Fenner et al. Oct. 15, 19572,866,208 Vanderminden Dec. 30, 1958 2,943,672 Hook et al. July 5, 1960OTHER REFERENCES Popular Mechanics (Magazine), November 1957, page 102,item-Miniature Trampolin.

